JOANN DALGARD: Passover, Easter share strong ties

From the above, you may think this piece belongs in the gardening section. But the dirt we're referring to is the "soil" of the heart and soul, referred to in the parable of the sower. (Mark 4:3-8)

The root we need to nurture and understand is the Jewish aspect of our Judeo-Christian heritage. Passover, like Easter, is a holiday determined by the lunar calendar. This year, most of the week-long celebration fell between Palm Sunday and Easter.

Followers of Jesus proclaim him crucified and risen. With emphasis on the triumph over sin and death, the joyous Easter season continues.

Many Christian denominations hold a Passover Seder. After all, Jesus had gone to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover.

Pesach, from Hebrew, means "to pass over" or "to spare." It commemorates the deliverance of the Israelites from slavery. The departure from Egypt is told in chapter 12 of the book of Exodus.

Do not Christians call Jesus the Paschal lamb? The lamb's blood was to be placed on the door posts, so the angel of death would spare that household.

We, as Christians, believe the Blood of the Lamb has cleansed us and delivered us from slavery to sin. Do we still sin? Of course. We are human.

But there is an atonement, a promise of eternal salvation.

"We know that our old self was crucified with him, so that our sinful body might be done away with, so that we might no longer be in slavery to sin." (Romans 6:6)

The Passover meal includes unleavened bread and wine, elements used in the celebration of Holy Communion.

We have much in common. If we learn from each other, learn about each other, we can more fully honor the One who made us all.

Nurture the root and the plant will grow strong.

JoAnn Dalgard is a freelance writer living in Brady. She welcomes reader response at jbdalgard@yahoo.com.